Welcome to HDE Music!
Students at Highcroft are active music makers. During music class students spend time singing, playing instruments, dancing, playing music games and are continuing to learn how music is an important part of their lives. Here is a brief summary of what students learn in music class.
Kindergarten
Students in Kindergarten practice keeping the steady beat and then start to practice simple rhythm patterns. They learn to play classroom percussion instruments and begin to explore the xylophone. They learn how to use their voice properly when singing and learn a variety of songs and rhymes.
First Grade
First Graders spend a lot of time matching pitch and are learning scale tones so, mi and la. They also use and identify rhythm patterns of ta and ti-ti. They expand their playing on the xylophone by playing both hands at the same time to accompany simple songs.
Second Grade
In Second Grade students learn how music is organized into different sections. They learn how to play the hand drums and play more complex patterns on the xylophone. Second Graders also practice re and do hand signals.
Third Grade
Students in Third Grade start to explore more independent singing with rounds. Students learn and play sixteenth notes and practice writing rhythmic patterns. Third Graders are improvising melodic patterns and learning the pitches they will start playing next year on the recorder. They learn about the Percussion family and listen to pieces of music featuring these instruments.
Fourth Grade
In Fourth Grade students are preparing to play recorder by learning to read the treble clef notes on the music staff. They expand their study of the orchestral instruments which culminates with a trip to the North Carolina Symphony. Fourth Grade students enjoy learning to play "Recorder Karate" and have fun earning karate belts each time they learn a new song.
Fifth Grade
Fifth Graders continue to study recorder and try to earn their black belt by the end of the school year. They learn to improvise short patterns on the recorder and play more complex pieces on the xylophones. A Fifth Grade favorite is the sword dance which they work on at the end of the school year.
Students at Highcroft are active music makers. During music class students spend time singing, playing instruments, dancing, playing music games and are continuing to learn how music is an important part of their lives. Here is a brief summary of what students learn in music class.
Kindergarten
Students in Kindergarten practice keeping the steady beat and then start to practice simple rhythm patterns. They learn to play classroom percussion instruments and begin to explore the xylophone. They learn how to use their voice properly when singing and learn a variety of songs and rhymes.
First Grade
First Graders spend a lot of time matching pitch and are learning scale tones so, mi and la. They also use and identify rhythm patterns of ta and ti-ti. They expand their playing on the xylophone by playing both hands at the same time to accompany simple songs.
Second Grade
In Second Grade students learn how music is organized into different sections. They learn how to play the hand drums and play more complex patterns on the xylophone. Second Graders also practice re and do hand signals.
Third Grade
Students in Third Grade start to explore more independent singing with rounds. Students learn and play sixteenth notes and practice writing rhythmic patterns. Third Graders are improvising melodic patterns and learning the pitches they will start playing next year on the recorder. They learn about the Percussion family and listen to pieces of music featuring these instruments.
Fourth Grade
In Fourth Grade students are preparing to play recorder by learning to read the treble clef notes on the music staff. They expand their study of the orchestral instruments which culminates with a trip to the North Carolina Symphony. Fourth Grade students enjoy learning to play "Recorder Karate" and have fun earning karate belts each time they learn a new song.
Fifth Grade
Fifth Graders continue to study recorder and try to earn their black belt by the end of the school year. They learn to improvise short patterns on the recorder and play more complex pieces on the xylophones. A Fifth Grade favorite is the sword dance which they work on at the end of the school year.